Tax Collection Phone Call Cons

Con calls keep coming.

Did you get a call like this one recorded on voicemail and emailed to NWTRCC with a worried note by an activist in our network (text of the call is at the bottom of this email if it won’t play for you).

It’s been more than two years that people around the country — war tax resisters among them — have been plagued by con artists who call and threaten lawsuits, arrests, and court appearances if you don’t settle your tax debt….whether you have a tax debt or not.

The NWTRCC office has received numerous distressed calls and emails from people in our network who got such a call and are certain their tax resistance has landed them in hot water. If you get a call that the IRS is going to sue you or take you to jail, don’t panic! And if you get such a message, don’t call the number back!

Do a browser search on the basics of the message and you will probably find a long list of links to stories from others who got the same call, or horror stories from people who thought it was the IRS and paid the villains.

If it’s a human calling, you can play along a bit. Ask them where they live and ask some questions about that city. Or tell them about your WTR. Or say, “Great, I’ve been waiting for the government to listen to my reasons for resisting!” Your caller will probably hang up.

Check out these links to ease your mind [but if it is really really the IRS, do contact one of our counselors or the NWTRCC office].

Text of the voicemail (this one is a robo call though often they are live humans calling too):

“My batch number is 9165. The nature and the purpose of this call is regarding an enforcement action which has been executed by the US Treasury Department regarding tax fraud against your name. Ignoring this well be an intentional attempt to avoid initial appearance before the magistrate judge or exempt jury for a federal criminal offense so before this matter goes to federal claims court house or before you get arrested. Kindly call us back on our number as soon as possible. The number is 202-601-0657. Let me repeat the number is 202-601-0657. Hope to hear from you soon before the charges are pressed against you. Thank you”